The fuel supplier said that its Tec Diesel Advantage package offered a holistic and cost-effective solution to the long-term equipment maintenance issues.

Products in the Tec Diesel line have been demonstrated to run cleaner and reduce wasteful fuel consumption through minimising the effects of injector deposits and injector wear, it said.

Specifically, the Active Tec Diesel fuel includes additives that prevent the formation of injector deposits, which lead to poorer performance and a lower power-to-fuel consumed ratio.

Clean Tec Diesel fuel, meanwhile, is filtered beyond the recommendations of the World Fuel Charter to minimise the presence of abrasive particulates, which in turn can extend the lifespan of injectors and pumps while reducing the frequency of filter changes.

A third product under the name Power Tec Diesel is touted to combine the anti-corrosion and cleanliness characteristics of both Active and Clean.

Caltex acting general manager of marketing and distribution Leo Pucar said recent advances in engine efficiency had triggered maintenance issues that raised the costs of running a mine site diesel fleet.

“With an increasing focus on maintenance costs, rectifying these issues continues to place pressure on the bottom lines of businesses, at a time when reducing costs and maximising machine utilisation rates has never been more important,” Pucar said.

“The research into products such as Caltex Active Tec Diesel and Caltex Power Tec Diesel points to significant potential savings for operators of diesel-powered mining, transport and industrial equipment by reducing the likelihood of increased fuel consumption, reduced engine performance and significant repair bills associated with having to replace failed parts.”

Demonstration of the new fuels has included a test conducted by Orbital Corporation in Western Australia that saw a six-cylinder common-rail Cummins QSK19 turbo-diesel engine operated using regular diesel and an accelerant to replicate a level of injector deposit build-up typical of longer-term engine operation.

Caltex said the engine’s performance, power output, fuel flow and fuel consumption were measured throughout the process, with tests then showing up to 78% recovery in lost power output and complete restoration of lost fuel flow through the injectors when the same engine was operated using Active Tec.

While fuel consumption was reported to have increased over the deposit-formation phase, this trend did not continue when using Active Tec.